Sealing ring for containers



Oct. 22, 1940. R. s. ROSENBLOOM 2,213,858

I SEALING RING FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 6, 1939 Patented Oct. 22, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE J 2,218,858 Y SEALING RING For; CONTAINERSRalph S. Rosenbloom, Chicago, Ill. Application December 6, 1989, Serialn 807,731"

2 Claims. (01. 220-61 This inventionrelates to containers such as, forexample, sheet metal pails and kegs or the like, and more particularlyto novel means for sealing and closing same.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple andeconomical sealing ring for containers.

A further object of the present invention is to 'provide a sealing ringwhich will have a smooth top bearing surface upon which the bottom ofanother container may be slid to facilitate the stacking thereof.

"A further object of the present invention is to provide a sealing ringof the character described which will have a novel weakened portionadapted to be tornout, thereby breaking said ring when it is desired toopen the container towhich said ring is applied.

Still a further object of the present invention is to providea sealingring of the character described having a weakened portion adapted to betorn out, thereby breaking said ring when it-is desired to open thecontainer to which said ring a curled lip or bead or a false wire edgeabout the top of the container body, said ring being adapted to becrimped about said lip to seal the cover of said container thereto, saidring having an Opening therein, said crimping serving to cause edges ofsaid opening to gape and extend outwardly from said lip. 1

Still a furtherobject of the present inventio is to provide a device ofthe character described which .will comprise a sealing ring adapted tobe crimped about the lip of a container, said ring having a pair of rowsof perforations extending transversely thereof and a gaping slotextending between rows of perforations, said slot being adaptedtoreceive the end of a lever member which may be operated to tear outthat portion of the ring between said rows of perforations.

Still a further object of the present invention isto provide a device ofthecharacter described which willbe capable of being quickly andeconomically applied to containers.

the invention consists in certain novel features of construction,arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter; fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims, it being understood that various changes in theform, proportions, size and minor details of thestructure may be madewithout departing from the spirit or sacrificingany of the advantages ofthe invention. w v c For the purpose of facilitating an understandingofmy invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferredembodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered inconnection with the-following description, my invention, its mode ofconstruction, assembly and operatiornand many of its advantages shouldbereadily understood andappreciated. 1 1

Referring to the drawing in which the same characters of reference areemployed to indicate several figures of the drawing: I

Fig. 1 is an elevational view'of a pail or containerembodying myinvention.

Fig.2 is a fragmentary sectional enlarged taken generally alOngthe line2-2 of Fig. 6.

, Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the sealing ring,gasket and cover member prior tofcrimping of the ring to the containeredge.

.Fig. 4 is a plan view of the pail or container in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing how containers are stacked.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detailed view showing my invention.

The invention contemplates improvements in the type of sealing ringadapted to be crimped about a cover lip and bead edge of a pail orcontainer with a gasket interposed between the cover lip and the bead tohermetically seal the same. Difficulties have been particularly exviewperienced in applications of this type of cover Applicant presentssimple and effective means for permitting the removal of the sealingring. Prior to assembly, the sealing ring is provided with a weakenedportion such as, for example, a perforated section having a slottherein. During assembly, while the ring skirt is being crimped inplace, an edge of the slot gapes since the crimped operation causesextensive strain on the outer periphery of the ring. The gaping openingprovides an insertion point for a screw driver or the like so thatsimple leverage may be applied to tear out the weakened portion of thering, break same and thereby enabling the cover to be removed from thepail. The opening means ,being upon the side of the ring, the topthereof may be made smooth to permit sliding of the bottom of anothercontainer thereupon and need not extend inwardly any great degree,facilitating thereby stacking of a plurality of containers.

Referring now to specific details, the reference character I0 designatesgenerally a pail or container, such as, for example, a lead or paintkeg. The container is provided with a reduced diameter portion II at thebottom thereof adapted to fit into the centrally depressed portion I2 ofa cover member I3, permitting stacking of a plurality of containers asshown in Fig. 5.

Said container I0 is provided with the usual bail I4 and is constructedconventionally in all other respects. It is provided at its topmost edgewith an outwardly rolled bead or flange I5. A cover member I3 having acentrally depressed, portion I2 and a rolled edge or lip I6 is adaptedto be fitted on to the top of the container Ill with the lip I6overlapping the bead I5 and centrally depressed portion I2 inserted intothe body of the container. A gasket ll comprising a hollow rubher or thelike ring of tubing is provided between the bead and the lip in order tohermetically seal the same when assembled.

The sealing ring I8 comprises an annular member adapted to rest upon thelip I6 of the cover member, but having no portion thereof extendinginwardly as shown at I9, thereby providing smooth and speedy seating ofthe portion II of another container in the recessed portion I2 instacking a plurality of said containers.

Prior to assembly, the ring 18 has the crosssectional configuration of aquarter are of a circle with the ends thereof extended downwards andsidewards to form respectively a depending skirtlike portion 20, and thebearing portion referred to above by the reference character I9. Thering I8 is adapted to snugly fit over the cover member I3, with thearcuate portion of the ring fitting over the rolled lip I6 of the covermember l3, as best shown in Fig. 3, the curvature of the lip I6 and thatof the arcuate portion of the ring being made to conform throughout thecircumference of the cover member. The space now formed between theskirt-like portion 20 and the depressed portion I2 of the cover member,is provided with the rubber gasket Il which firmly fits thereinto andunder the lip I6. In its presently described condition, the ring, coverand gasket are held in a firmly assembled condition, thus permitting thesame to be handled as a unit and to be shipped with ease since thearrangement facilitates assembly thereof at the place of manufacture ofthe containers. The consumer receives the entire assembly and thecontainer, and need only fill the container with his commodity and applythe assembled unit to the container in an appropriate manner. Whenassembled a mechanism is applied to the top of .jected to tensilestrain.

will not be in evidence since it is transmitted the container whichpresses same down by hearing upon the portion I9 of the ring, collapsingand compressing the rubber gasket I1, and the skirt-like portion 20 iscrimped around and under the bead I5 fixing the cover upon the containerand sealing the same as shown at 2|. Devices capable of performing thistype of crimping operation are common as shown for example by UnitedStates Patents numbered 1,813,984, 2,017,- 495, 1,834,208, etc.

The ring may be formed as an integral annular member or may bemanufactured as indicated in the drawing by bending an appropriatelyshaped member upon itself and spot welding same in position as indicatedat w. At the time of formation of the ring, however, same is pro- Videdwith a pair of rows of perforations 22 which are disposed transverselyof the ring I8 so that a weakened portion 23 is formed between the rowsof perforations 22. This portion can thus be available to be torn out,breaking the ring and permitting the cover member I3 to be pried off. Inorder to facilitatetearing out the weakened portion 23, it is providedwith a circumferential slot or opening 24 which is positioned at thearcuate portion of the ring between the rows of perforations 22 for apurpose to be presently brought out.

When the skirt 20. of the ring I8 is crimped about the bead I5 to formthe portion 2| it is obvious that the inner surface of the ring will besubjected to compressive strain transversely thereof, and that the outersurface will be sub- Ordinarily the strain transversely to all parts ofthe ring. However, at the point where the opening 24 is located, thestrain cannot be equalized because of the discontinuation. Hence thestrain is localized at the opening, and since it originates below theopening, the lower lip or edge 25 of the opening 24 will have its innersurface highly compressed and its outer surface highly tensed causingthe gap shown in the drawing. Added to the above forces is the downwardpull caused by the crimping operation itself tending to stretch theskirt portion of the ring and thereby increasing the gap at theunsupported lower edge 25 of the slot or opening 24.

The resulting gap is now such that a tool 26, such as theend of achisel, screw driver, or the like, may be easily inserted therein andsafely jammed under the ring at the weakened portion 23 so that same maybe torn out by means of leverage applied to the other end of said tool.

It will be obvious that I have provided a novel sealing ring forcontainers and the like which may be easily and safely removed with asimple tool in a minimum of time and with a minimum effort, and onewhich lends itself admirably to accomplishing purposes and objectshereinbefore set forth.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly,and many of its advantages should be readily understood from theforegoing without further description, and it should also be manifestthat while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed for illustrative purposes, the structural details arenevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. The combination with a container having a the other end of said body,and an intermediate curved portion joining said flange and verticalportion, said intermediate portion being provided with an elongatedsubstantially rectangular opening, the lower longer edge of said openingbeing arranged substantially in the line of the juncture of said curvedintermediate portion with the said vertical portion, said opening beingof such a length that upon the stretching of said vertical portionduring the crimping of the same beneath the said rim roll of saidcontainer, said edge will be caused to gap, said gapping edge providinga space for the ready insertion of an instrument for the easy breakingoi said ring.

2; The combination with a container having a rim roll and a cover havingan annularflange for seating upon said roll, of a sheet metal sealingring comprising a body having a flange at one end disposed over theflange of the cover, a substantially vertically zdisposed skirt-likeportion at the other end of said body, and an intermediatecurvedlvportion joining said flange and vertical portiomsaidintermediate portion being provided .with an elongated substantiallyrectangular opening, the lower longer edgeof said opening beingarranged-substantially in the line of the juncture of said curvedintermediate portion with the said vertical portion, said opening beingof such a length that 'upon' the stretching of said vertical portionduring the crimping of the same beneath the said rim roll of saidcontainer, said edge will becaused' to gap, said gapping edge providinga space for the ready insertion'of an instrument for the easy breakingof said ring, that portion of the ring within which said rectangularopening is provided being weakened by a pair of transversely arrangedspaced rows of perforations, said rows of perforations beingsubstantially in line with the ends of the said rectangular opening.

RALPH s. ROSENBLOOM.

